Text and Culture Semiotic Analysis - Essay Example

Name Course Instructor Date Text Culture and semiotic analysis essay This paper presents a semiotic analysis of an image depicting Rolex Oyster watch advertisement. This analysis will enhance the reader’s understanding of the semiotic terms and how to apply cultural knowledge to the text. The theme’s analysis includes the sign and sign systems and their interaction, how the sign can be read, how the gaze operates in the text, and how the text includes and excludes identities and meanings through myth and ideology. Signifiers The signifier and the signified are elements of a sign that interact to give meaning to the addressee (Study Guide CMM119 2011, p.20). Whereas the signifier represents the sign’s actual physical effect as detected by senses, the signified is the mental concept invoked by the sign (Thwaites et al 2002, p. 31). The main signifiers in the Rolex Oyster advertisement are the woman, the Rolex watch logo, the water, and the text on the upper left corner. The combination of these signifiers produces the syntagm with the woman’s image as the dominant signifier. Moreover, the woman’s image in itself is made up of many subordinate signifiers such as her swimming outfit, the Rolex watch on her wrist, bold posture, and eminent appearance. Generally, this syntagm depicts the woman as a highly esteemed, professional, and daring competitor who is proud of her achievements. The sign that the audience reads signifies an abstract picture of the concept that it invokes rather than invoke images of a specific type of the sign being viewed (Thwaites et al 2002, p. 35). Therefore, in the text being analysed, the viewer may not associate the woman’s image with any particular or known person but the image invokes the concept of a swimmer because of the paradigmatic value of her swimwear, and the fact that the lower part of her body from the waist is immersed in sea water. The woman seems to stay bold and relaxed in the water despite the depiction that the water is ice cold as represented by a shade of green colour that get darker with the depth. The woman’s image is that of classic female beauty and perfection as represented by the specific arrangement of her facial features and make up. Although her makeup is minimal, the perfection is accentuated with immaculate eyebrows and full lips slightly apart to bare her white teeth. This signification is that of achievement of perfection and beauty. The eminent appearance is further signified by her bold confident stance and gaze. It is evident that the camera was positioned from a lower angle as the woman’s eyes are looking down to the addressee. The woman thus has a dominant position over the viewer. This is a signification of her higher level of success and achievement. The woman left hand is folded to her left upper chest in a pride fashion revealing the Rolex watch on her left wrist. This further implies the nobility in her attitude as Rolex watches are associated with prestige. The swimmer sign signifies success in the context that it has been presented in. The text in the top left corner reveals the time and location of the event. The audience can now tell that it was ‘the Swimming of the English Channel that occurred in 1927. The bottom line has the words “Rolex: Life’s defining moments” (Rolex Advertisement 2011) indicating that it was a significant and memorable event. Even without knowing the entire background of this swimmer, it is evident from both the text and the image that she has accomplished something great. The event was a defining moment for her as also represented by the paradigm value of the watch on her wrist. The woman’s eminent posture, alluring gaze and strong stance are signifiers of this achievement as well. Paradigms and Syntagm Signs operate in a paradigm, which is defined as a set of signs from which the sign originates to produce meaning (Study Guide CMM119 2011, p.23). In the image, the presence of a figure in swim costumes and partly immersed in water positions it as a swimmer. The viewer clearly sees the upper part of the woman’s body while the waist downwards is covered in turquoise blue coloured water. The turquoise blue colour sign belongs to the paradigm of colours designated to narrower parts of water bodies in pictures although naturally, water is colourless. The turquoise blue colour for ocean water may be replaced with another sign as long as it is accepted by majority in the culture. The paradigm reveals a swimmer in a narrower part of the ocean in which the water usually appears turquoise blue. Syntagm is a combination of signs that can be depicted by the senses (Study Guide CMM119 2011, p.21). This is achieved through specific signifiers in the sign that interrelate to produce meaning. For instance, the combination of bathing suit, water goggles and cap forms a syntagm that helps the viewer decide that it is the image of a swimmer. Signs conform to a rule, such that in a commutation test, if the woman was to switch the cap for instance a visor, her position of a professional swimmer may be unpronounced. The bathing suit on its own may still signify a swimmer but without the cap and goggles, the concept of a professional swimmer is lost. The syntagm allows the signs’ combination to be read according to grammar that signifies cultural identity. The Gaze To describe the gaze, it is important to understand that the image is an appearance that has been detached from the location and time in which it first made appearance and hence embodies a way of seeing (Berger 1972, p.9). The image has the woman focusing direct, unfaltering gaze from a higher level looking down at the viewers. The woman’s eminent posture and boastful appearance induces a desire in the addressee. A desire to be like her because she has accomplished a great thing and in style-“The swimming of the English Chanel...life’s defining moments”. The higher level of viewership and boastful look shows that she has reached an unchallenged level of achievement and triumph. Swimming the English Channel is a challenging task yet she made it and hence she has unfaltering self –esteem that does not beg approval from others. The representation of endurance and success can further be portrayed by the Rolex watch floating on water in front of the woman. The watch is still in good shape despite being in water. Connotation and detonation An array of meanings can be implied in one particular sign. Rarely, a signifier reflects a single signification; instead, there is a spread of possible signified, termed as connotations (Thwaites et al. 2002, p.60). The woman’s attire can connote an athlete or a competitor of a sport. On the other hand, denotations are a limitation of the sign that narrow down the connotations to a single signified (Study Guide CMM119 2011, p.37). In a denotation, the connotations are objectivised and specifically assigned with a determined signified, for instance in this case, not just a competitor or athlete, but specifically a swimmer. Other than the woman’s image, the Rolex watch produces a number of connotations as well. Rolex is made of diamond and diamonds connote luxury, wealth, and prestige. Wearers of Rolex brands are generally associated with success and prestige. Additionally, the good quality of the Rolex watch enhances its water resistant properties and cannot be worn out by the tough conditions in the water. Despite challenges in the swimming, the woman remains strong and in good shape just like the Rolex watch. The Rolex watch can thus be read as an icon of the object it refers to, an index of wealth and symbol of success. Myth A myth is felt to be true and is an inescapable fact that seems obvious and natural. The myth is a transformation of connotations into an idea that is abstractly felt yet seems undeniably true. The myth produces a certain kind of n truth that needs to be critiqued (Study Guide CMM119 2011, p.39). In this text analysis, the myth is success and achievement and success is felt as it creates an idea that resounds in the cultural memory (Study Guide CMM119 2011, p.40). Cultural memory involves introducing past ideas to the present through cultural texts as a collective unit (Study Guide CMM119, p. 39). Therefore, although the reader of this case text may have no recollection if the events that the text refers to, the reader can still relate to the abstract idea that the myth evokes. Although resonating with the past, the myth still causes the past to become the present rather than a bygone (Study Guide CMM119, p. 40). The mythic impact of achievement in the image is enticing and embodying an ideology that the watch is a success in itself. The likely reading of this text is that the Rolex and the very fact of owning and wearing it is an achievement in itself. A negotiated reading of the text may agree that a diamond watch is a status symbol but may disagree that one is successful just by wearing the watch. An oppositional reading negates the dominant reading position offered and the sign’s mythic properties (Study Guide CMM119, p. 47). The oppositional reading raises questions that the myth closes off, for instance the possibility that a diamond watch is unnecessary. The oppositional can suggest that a watch should be functional not fashionable. In conclusion the analysis reveals that the phatic function of the text operates through a variety of signifiers which portray the myth of success and achievement. Semiotics is part of cultural studies that concerns textual aspects with the aim of producing meaning, and the power relations enacted through them. Culturally, texts in media are inevitable tools of communication and are used to portray or signify the intended message. Text culture and semiotic analysis is important to encourage a critical understanding of how texts used in media produce meaning in conjunction with their audience in everyday life. List of references: Berger, J. 1972, Ways of Seeing, London: BBC/Penguin. Rolex advertisement, Marie Claire, January 2011, back cover. Study Guide CMM119 Text and Culture, 2011, School of Humanities, Arts, Education and Law, Griffith University, Brisbane. Thwaites et. al. 2002, Introducing Cultural and Media Studies: A Semiotic Approach, London: Palgrave. Read More